Dodori nature reserve

Recent news that the Lamu County Council has leased out the land of the 40+ year old nature reserve has drawn widespread criticism, especially as it was learnt that the first payment of the new ‘owners’ was used to pay arrears for sitting and other allowances due to councillors. The conservation fraternity immediately ‘nixed’ the deal, claiming it was a corrupt move by the council to lease out a piece of land over which they had no jurisdiction at all, just to get their collective hands on some money.

The reserve, as all others across Kenya, falls under the jurisdiction of the Kenya Wildlife Service and as such the council simply cannot unilaterally decide to lease it out to a ‘private investor’ without the full consensus of such bodies as KWS and others. It is also understood that proper procedure for finding an investor for the reserve, or for a management company, would be to have KWS first advertise for expressions of interest, following which broad outlines of business and financial plans have to be submitted to the organisation. After a shortlist is then established those selected will have to present in great detail, including a full EIA for their plans, their intentions, backed up but proof of finance, before KWS then makes a decision.

However, in this case none of the above seems to have done as the councillors’ greed seems to have overtaken common and good sense and had them rush into signing a dubious deal – for the proverbial 30 silver coins that is. Watch this space as the saga continues.

By Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome

Twitter: @whthome

Blog: www.wolfganghthome.wordpress.com

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